Intense
by Seniya
Summary: Oliver is rich, successful and engaged, his best friend, Katie is the complete opposite and hopelessly in love with him. Can this work?
1. Chapter 1

**Intense**

By Seniya

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She supposed she looked all right. Not gorgeous, but not hideous either, yes, she decided finally, her appearance ranked somewhere in between the two extremes. The tangle of blonde curls that lay on the top of her head had been tamed as much as have could have been expected, and the thousands of freckles that were scattered across her face had been concealed by the use of quite a large amount of powder. Her final concern lay in the blue glasses that were at the moment propped against the base of her nose.

Should she not wear them and reveal for once the startling green eyes that were so often hidden or wear them and reduce the chance of her falling and making a complete fool of herself.

_Does it matter Katie, you'll never look as good as her_

A grim thought perhaps. But it was a truthful one all the same. And it was one that Katie Bell forced herself to come to terms with almost everyday. It was the reason that she had spent the entire day yesterday looking around London for something that actually fit her lanky frame, and the reason that she had spent the last four or so hours trying to force her untidy curls into something that Witch Weekly had claimed was this month's hottest hair style.

She was in love with her best friend.

It was a simple statement, one that she felt the whole world must know by now, well the whole world except for the one person who should know. Him.

-----------------

And then there was **her**. Why, was there always a **her** ? This **her** however proved to be quite a pest because quite frankly this **her** was perfect. This **her** was, as all the magazines felt like constantly reminding Katie, one the most successful and beautiful witches of this century. And as an added insult, the **her** was engaged to the him. A final sigh and a groan and the glasses were back up on Katie's face and the hair had freed itself from its constraints and it had just suddenly occurred to Katie that the itch she was feeling on her face meant that she was probably allergic to the skin powder. And at this rate her clothes would tear by the time she got there and well why should she bother?

_Why did she bother anyway?_

Katie asked herself when, true to form the skirt ripped right down the middle. Why, she could stay home and finish the story that she had started on Dragons for work or finish the book she had just started or learn a new cooking spell, or well do anything at all she wanted and think of an excuse to tell Oliver about why she wasn't there in the morning.

-----------------

It was a plan then. Yes, she had read about the flu going around somewhere and Linda at work did have it last week, and staying at home would been better than subjecting herself to the torment of listening to the **her** ramble on about some obnoxious topic, something that was always associated with these occasions. The clothes had already been discarded and the bathwater had been set, when a large grey owl had come rapping at her window. Katie personally disliked owls due to an incident she had had as a child where four of the creatures had decided to attack her all at once. But this owl she would tolerate, because this owl belonged to Oliver.

After reading the piece of parchment attached to the owl's leg, Katie knew that she wouldn't be able to stay home at all. You see she had just gotten a vivid reminder of just why she bothered.

_Kate, I've just found out from Andrew's friend at the academy, they say that I've got the award hands down, can you believe it, just like you said. I can't wait to see you there.  
Love from, Oliver_

-----------------

The atmosphere in the room was absolutely stifling. Inside had been filled with aristocrats and moguls, until the feeling of superiority could be felt in even the smallest corner.

"Kathleen, my lord, I had begun to wonder if you were coming at all"

The voice belonged to the **her**, of course, (who from now on shall be referred to as Rose), and was accompanied the never faltering smile and laugh, both of which had become defining characteristics for her.

"Well, I'm sorry to be late, you see I had a bit of trouble with my outfit" Katie regretted saying the words the moment they left her lips, for at the same moment, Rose's blue eyes had begun to travel downwards, taking in every detail of Katie's appearance. Since Katie's previous choice of clothing had been...destroyed, she had been forced to acquire a new one, quickly, from the only store open at eleven pm on a Sunday night. Needless to say, Katie wouldn't make the best-dressed list tonight, even if she hadn't worn her glasses.

"I can see that" Rose replied dryly as she turned up her nose with distaste. "You could have at least made an attempt to dress up Kathleen, at least for Oliver" The smile reappeared, and after a few more comments on her own gown, Rose seemed to grow tired of Katie's lack of enthusiasm for the subject and made up an excuse on why she had to be somewhere else at this very moment.

Katie couldn't honestly say that she missed her.

-----------------

Again she found herself alone in her corner, clutching the drink in her hand a bit tighter than was really necessary. No one was paying any attention to her, which she had grown accustomed to. No one ever noticed her except for when she fell down or broke something, which happened a bit too often. But at least her corner was comfortable, and her drink wasn't too bad, and soon Oliver would get his award and make his speech and she would be free to go home and wait for him to tell her about the next event that needed her attendance.

Katie had learnt from her experiences in the past that the only way to survive these events was to remind herself of the glorious feeling you got when the entire thing was over.

"Witches and Wizards, may I have you attention please"

Katie's thoughts were interrupted by the voice. She had jumped and her drink had spilt down the front of her clothes, and on the back of the wizard in front of her.

"We will now be announcing the winner of the most promising young athlete category"

The atmosphere of importance was replaced almost at once by one of anticipation.

"And the winner is..." The bodiless voice paused. "Oliver Wood"

-----------------

The room broke out in applause, and a beaming Oliver could be seen as he collected a trophy from a very frail looking witch. For a brief moment Katie's eyes met his, and her stomach fluttered, just as it always did. It would never cease to amaze her just how he could always make her feel this way his the slightest glance, even after all of these years. Oliver, still beaming thanked his family and friends, the academy and his fans and of course his fiancé, he then descended from the stage. And it was over, the now familiar feeling of inadequacy washed over Katie as people began to disappear from the room. She supposed she should follow suit.

But maybe...

There he was, with the **her** hooked onto his arm. They were deep in conversation, and then, without warning they kissed.

Katie guessed her heart could be found somewhere on the floor at the moment. But instead of whining about it like she wanted, she decided to suck it up and go home.

She hoped he noticed she was gone.

-----------------

So that was it, that was the reason that she had wasted all of that time, for a two second glance and a three second mention in his speech. It was pathetic really, Katie thought as she dug around her kitchen for some comfort food. She behaved more like a pet than a best friend.

She was pathetic. Waiting around for an engaged man when she could probably find a single one if she tried. She had been lying to herself, of course. She couldn't move on, she had been stuck in this position for ten years.

Chocolate, yes chocolate would make it all go away. This wasn't the first time she had felt this way and it wouldn't be the last. But as she bit into the chocolate Katie knew, that as pathetic as it was she would never trade in her two second glances or her three second mentions for a less pathetic existence.

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Disclaimer

I do not own Harry Potter, I wish I did, but since when do wishes come true.


	2. Chapter 2

**Intense**

By Seniya

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So the chocolate hadn't worked. Katie had realised _that_ the moment she had awoken that morning feeling just as depressed as she remembered feeling the night before.  
Also she fallen asleep on her kitchen floor, leaving her this morning with a throbbing pain in the back of her neck, and she was certain that although she had spent most of the morning retrieving chocolate wrappers from her hair, there were still some trapped in her curls.  
  
And she _still_ had to go to work. And tonight she was supposed to be fitted for her bridesmaid dress.  
  
Yes it seemed that god really loved her.  
  
Perhaps she wouldn't have been so moody today if she hadn't decided to walk to work, but she had never passed the apparating exam, being too frightened to try after the Weasley twins had told her about one of their cousins who had ended up in France when he needed to be in Wales, headless.   
  
She usually didn't mind walking, it was good exercise, but today she hated it. Today was Monday and Oliver was getting married on Sunday. And today as Katie walked her way to work, she felt as though each step brought her closer to that unavoidable day.  
  
She wished it would rain, if she got wet, maybe she'd catch a cold and die.

---------  
"Good morning sunshine" a sarcastic voice greeted her as she wandered into the office. "What's with the sad face?"  
  
"It's not raining" Katie said to the gorgeous oriental woman, the owner of the voice.  
  
"Why would you want it to rain?" Most people would look at the question, as just an innocent question, but Katie knew better. Annie was the writer for the gossip column, which made her, incredibly nosy.   
  
"I like the rain"  
  
"No one likes the rain"  
  
"I love the rain"  
  
Annie shrugged. "I made you a cup a tea" She pushed the beverage under Katie's nose. Katie wrenched her face with disgust and tried to expel the overwhelming smell of peppermint from her nostrils, knowing her the "tea" was probably laced with some sort of truth potion.  
  
"I hate tea"  
  
"But you love the rain" Annie raised one perfectly shaped eyebrow, but removed the cup.  
  
She followed Katie to her desk and stared at her through her dark framed glasses until she sat down.  
  
"I came by your apartment last night" She said finally as she sat at her respective desk.  
  
"That's nice"  
  
"You weren't there"  
  
So that was the point of the whole tea act.   
  
"Really?" Katie had been working for the prophet for nine months and during that time, she had learnt never to tell Annie anything about your life, you see if you did it usually ended up on page seven of the Daily Prophet, next to the horoscope section.  
  
"Don't play with me Kathleen"  
  
"I'm not playing- fine if you must know my mother was- sick"  
  
"Your mother in Newcastle?"  
  
"Yes my _only_ mother the one in Newcastle"  
  
"Strange how you managed to get from Newcastle to London in just one night, seeing as you can't apparate yet"  
  
Damn.  
  
Katie glanced at the woman in absolute amazement.   
  
"You see Katie" she glanced at the blonde over the top of her very own cup of tea. "When you work as a reporter for ten years, you learn some things"  
  
"Obviously" Katie muttered and began the daily hunt for her quill.  
  
"Under your dictionary love, so you were going to tell me where you were"  
  
"I was not going to tell you anything"  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because when I tell you anything you always write it up in your stupid column"  
  
"That was ages ago"  
  
"It was last month and how the bloody hell did you know where my quill was"  
  
Annie frowned. " That was different, everyone wanted- needed to know when the Wood-Ramsey wedding was, and I was looking for some string"  
  
Katie rolled her eyes. "I was at some awards ceremony"  
  
"The Annual Sports Witch and or Wizard Awards, how did _you _get invited to _that_"  
  
"Oliver invited me"  
  
"Ohhh"   
  
"What"  
  
"Is that why you were so put out this morning, didn't he look at you or something"  
  
"What do you mean…"  
  
"Please, we all know you have a crush on the keeper"  
  
Katie felt her face grow hot. "I don't understand what you are talking…who's we?"  
  
"We is me" Annie stood up " And of course I know the way your eyes glaze over when you talk about him and well the hearts next to his name and doodles on most of your possessions was also a give away"  
  
"I would appreciate it if you'd keep away from my desk"  
  
Annie laughed. "Don't worry I won't tell, it's a wonder if he doesn't already know, and the people from the Ministry owled, they said you can take the apparating exam tomorrow night"  
  
And with that she sauntered over to a girl named Samantha's desk, her cup of tea in hand.  
  
She left Katie feeling very stupid, but still she had a point. It was a wonder if he didn't know.  
  
---------

Orange is such a graceless colour.  
  
It's not the first hue that comes to mind when you are picking the tone for your bridesmaid's gowns, or any gowns to be honest.  
  
You see orange flatters no one.  
  
This fact seemed to have slipped Rose Ramsey's mind, because _her_ bridesmaids' gowns were orange.  
  
It probably wouldn't have mattered if they had been a different colour. With the magnitudes of silk flowers and beads that decorated the dress they had been doomed from the very first hem.  
  
"Isn't this woman a designer?" said a woman who Katie knew was Sarah, Oliver's manager. "So then when are these things so hideous"  
  
"I think she designs handbags" Katie replied.  
  
But Sarah had a point, other than being the ugliest things ever mended together by thread, none of the dresses fit. Katie's dress was about eight inches higher than where it was supposed to be, Sarah's was practically falling off of her, and the other bridesmaid, a woman called Amanda hadn't even been able to get hers over her head.  
  
Amanda was now swearing, very loudly about this fact to the only one who'd listen, herself.

---------  
  
"Here I am!" came a voice, accompanied by it's smile. It was the **her**, of course a good twenty minutes late.  
  
"You're late" Amanda had taken a break from her ranting to remind the designer of her tardiness.  
  
"Oh am I?" Rose glanced at a silver wristwatch on her hand. "Well, it's not as if any of you have any where else to be"  
  
Katie rolled her eyes and focused her glance to her feet. Beside her she heard Sarah whisper an enchantment under her breath and Amanda resume her cursing from across the room, not so inaudibly.  
  
"Well let's see these dresses, I made them myself you know, down to the last thread"  
  
"It shows" Sarah said.  
  
"Yes, I hope it does" Rose clasped her hands together dramatically, obviously interpreting the comment the wrong way.  
  
"Everyone asked me, Rose why use orange, no one else does, but I said well I shall start a new trend then shan't I!" she laughed again, but soon stopped noticing she was the only one in the room doing so.  
  
"So I'm sensing a problem?"  
  
"Are you blind?" Amanda exploded at once. "Your dresses don't fit!"  
  
Rose's blue eyes began to finally take in the appearances of her bridesmaids. "Oh, well, I was thinking that we'd have to make a few adjustments- Kathleen did you grow?"  
  
"Not ten inches in the last month"  
  
Rose frowned. "Well" she whipped out her wand from a pink handbag. And with a flick of her hand she had set Katie's dress on fire.  
  
Rose started screaming, but soon Sarah had extinguished the fire.  
  
"I am so sorry" Rose replied, she hadn't sounded very sorry and it really didn't help that she was smiling her patented "Rose Smile" when she'd said it.  
  
"I suppose I might have to make you a new dress Kathleen"   
  
"You might?" It was Amanda, she was obviously becoming less and less impressed by Rose by the second. "You set the dress on fire, mind you I think it looks better now"  
  
Sarah laughed.  
  
Rose's smile flickered but refused to vanish. " And I suppose that either of you think that you can do better, I am the most coveted designer in all London, and Kathleen loves my designs don't you Kathleen"  
  
Six pairs of eyes rounded on Katie, who's dress now barely went mid thigh.  
  
"Well, I…"  
  
She was saved from having to answer by a figure that had just appeared at the doorway.

---------  
  
"What's with all the noise?"  
  
"Oliver" Rose bounded over to him immediately. "Your manager and what is she cousin are insulting my dresses"  
  
Her droning reminded Katie of a child who had just seen her favourite doll destroyed and was telling the teacher about it.  
  
"And tell them Oliver, tell them that I am the most praised and respected designer in all London!"  
  
"You design handbags for God's sake!"   
  
Oliver's eyes scanned the room, the antique ceiling and mirrors and the three women, who dresses lay in three different states, Amanda's whose lay in a ball in the corner, Sarah's whose was being supported by the wearer herself, and Katie's whose dress had scorch marks all over it and was significantly shorter than everyone else's.  
  
Katie's eyes found that familiar spot on the floor again as Oliver eyes took in her appearance.  
  
Finally he turned to his soon to be wife. "Maybe we should all just go home"  
  
"Best thing I've heard all night" Amanda was gone before anyone else could get a word in.  
  
"I agree" Sarah grabbed the edges of her gown and walked over to a room in the corner and slammed the door shut. She really didn't need to since she could be heard quite clearly muttering from the other side anyways.  
  
Rose opened her mouth to say something but decided against it and just continued smiling. "Come along then Oliver" she grabbed his arm "I'm very tired, now that I think about it"  
  
"Actually" Oliver retracted his arm from her grasp. "I want to talk to Katie for a bit"  
  
"Oh well" Rose's smile refused to be put out. "Later then, goodnight Kathleen"  
  
"Goodnight" Katie replied still not looking up from the ground.

---------

She heard Oliver's footsteps drawing nearer, her own breath quickened. And it didn't help that he was playing around in her hair.  
  
"Do you know that you have chocolate wrappers in your hair"  
  
"Really?" Katie felt her face grow hot, she still felt the necessity to stare at the floor.  
  
"Yes really" she could hear a hint of laughter in his tone.  
  
"I fell asleep on my kitchen floor last night"  
  
"Did you"  
  
"Yes, and it's not funny, I think I hurt my neck because of it"  
  
"Is that why you're not looking at me?"  
  
He wasn't helping matters.   
  
"Why do I have to look at you Wood, are you that special?"  
  
"I think so"  
  
"I know you do- hey did you know your wife burnt my dress"  
  
"I can see that, I can also see that you haven't gained a pound since Hogwarts"  
  
"You little liar, I've gained ten"  
  
"Maybe your hair grew"  
  
Her eyes darted upwards, meeting his.  
  
"There, now I feel special" He grinned.

---------  
  
"Well, that's that, see you around Wood, Kathleen, I read your story today"  
  
"Yeah?" Katie had returned to the former habit of staring at walls now.  
  
"Yeah, really very good, goodnight you two"  
  
The familiar bang and Katie knew that Sarah was gone too.  
  
"Go get changed" Oliver prodded her in the direction of the closet, which had served as a restroom this night.  
  
"Don't you have to go home, your girlfriend is what was it, _tired_"  
  
"I'm walking you home"  
  
"Oliver, you don't need to"  
  
"Of course I do, I need to protect you from any of those delinquents that roam the streets"  
  
"I live a street away, and you're not very good protection, I remember when I was ten and that girl tied to steal my doll and you ran home"  
  
"Only for reinforcements, and besides how old was I, thirteen, now go get changed before I change my mind"  
  
"I wouldn't want that" Katie walked over to the direction of the room, and shut the door behind her. Damn Oliver always had to make things so complicated.

---------  
  
"What I don't understand is, why you just won't take the apparating test"  
  
"Shows how much you know Wood, I am taking it tomorrow"  
  
"Finally"  
  
"The point is I'm going to take it"  
  
The lift stopped and the two got out. They walked in silence to Katie's door.  
  
"About that story you wrote"  
  
"What about it"  
  
"You've done better"  
  
"Thank you Oliver your opinion means _so_ much to me"  
  
"Now where's the Kate that I know and love she would have slapped me at least five times tonight"  
  
"She's tired Wood"  
  
"I'll bet"  
  
More silence. Katie stared at her shoes again.  
  
She felt Oliver touch her hair.  
  
"I liked it better when it was shorter"  
  
The scent of his cologne imprisoned her. She could feel the warmth from his body on her skin. She could almost feel his heart beating.  
  
They had stood this close before, but somehow, it had never been like this.  
  
Her eyes darted upwards, meeting his, and once she met his gaze, and felt the will to look away leave her. She saw his face drawing nearer. She forced her eyes close, and braced herself for what was to come.   
  
His breath was on her face, fogging up her glasses. A hand, not hers, brushed her cheek.  
  
This was it.   
  
A second passed, and then another, and soon many seconds had passed, and nothing had happened.  
  
Cautiously, Katie opened one eye, and then the other one followed. Oliver was no longer standing in front of her. He was now facing the lifts, running a hand through his mane of brown hair.  
  
"Goodnight Kate" he muttered after a few moments of uncomfortable silence.  
  
Katie managed to scavenge her voice from her stomach. "Goodnight".  
  
He was gone in an instant. Leaving a very confused girl standing in her doorway, desperately trying to hold onto the last remains of his cologne.

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Writers block. I had actually gotten the third and fourth chapters done but not this one. It's three in the morning, but it's done. To those who reviewed, thank you very much and for those who asked, I never do one shots.

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Disclaimer  
  
I don't own Harry Potter or any of the characters. 


	3. Chapter 3

Intense

By Seniya

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It wasn't as though finding Katie Bell fully awake under her polyester quilts at such an obscene hour was a rare occasion.  
  
It wasn't.  
  
She could often be found lying awake in her bed a night staring at the white washed ceiling above her, trying to make out the answers to the universe in the timber.  
  
What was different about this time however was that for once, Katie was staring at her ceiling, happily. Well, perhaps happy was too strong a word but there was definitely a bubble of contentment swelling in her chest this night.  
  
Oliver had almost kissed her.  
  
She was certain of it. And she wasn't certain about a very many things.  
  
Sure, it hadn't been like in her thousands of fantasies, where angels would sing and shout their blessings from above and bells would toll and somewhere fireworks would go off. But she supposed in these occasions one couldn't be choosy.  
  
And it was still almost kissed. It hadn't been the real event. Those fireworks could still be waiting to go off.

------------  
  
Why had he stopped anyway?  
  
The voice that belonged to reality, the one that only appeared from out of the depths of Katie's mind on such occasions was of course back again. And it hadn't lost its ability to force her mind into a state of self-criticism either.  
  
In her head she immediately began to list the reasons why he could have terminated his idea to kiss her. Had it been her breath? Her hair? Of course it was her hair, it was always her hair wasn't it.  
  
Or maybe it had been due to the fact that it was her. Katie, Kate.   
  
Somehow she felt herself leaning towards the last reason.

------------  
But they had kissed before. Sure she had been six, it had only lasted about two seconds and afterwards Oliver had claimed it to be the most disgusting moment in his life. The fact remained they had kissed.  
  
But one almost kiss doesn't mean that he's going to cancel his wedding Katie.  
  
Reality was just rubbing it in her face now.  
  
So what if it hadn't been a real kiss, so what if it hadn't been anything at all, so what if Oliver had been standing that close to her because he had liked the smell of her shampoo or the aroma of her fabric softener. So what?  
  
The point was that for a moment she had felt that after years of lusting after her best friend for a moment that maybe he was lusting after her too.  
  
And it had felt pretty damn good.  
  
Maybe you should just go to sleep.  
  
For once she and reality could agree on something. The more Katie pondered about what exactly had happened, the smaller the happy bubble in her chest had become.

------------  
What the hell were you thinking?  
  
Oliver hadn't gone very far. In fact he hadn't really gone at all. He had re-apparated outside Katie's bedroom, on her balcony.   
  
He really couldn't tell you why.  
  
But it was there he had stayed for the past few hours pacing absently mindedly and muttering nonsense to himself.  
  
He knew that he must look like a lunatic to those watching him from the streets a few stories below him, he knew he should care but he really did feel like a lunatic at the moment and if someone were to call St. Mungos right now, he couldn't say that he would blame them.

------------  
  
What had he been thinking? He had almost kissed her. Her. Katie.  
  
Was he insane?  
  
You don't try to snog your best friend. Oliver muttered between strides. You don't. It was some unwritten rule he knew that.  
  
And you especially don't try when you have a fiancé.  
  
Luckily he had stopped himself before anything could happen. But still if he hadn't stopped, would she have stopped him?  
  
Was she mental as well?  
  
He knew what the solution was. He should barge in there right now and demand an explanation, or maybe he should give her one. Whatever, something more should be said.  
  
But his feet refused to discontinue their pacing and he had to say he was impressed. He had always had relatively intelligent feet.  
  
And he couldn't trust himself to be around Katie right now anyways. Whatever it was that had made him try to kiss her the first time might come back again.  
  
And he didn't need that.

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Yes, I'm here for the apparating test  
  
What's your name dear?  
  
Katie, Kathleen Bell  
  
Hold on just a second  
  
The witch at the front desk was ancient. Katie was surprised that she wasn't falling apart at her seams.  
  
She was a comfort in a way how ever. She did make Katie feel like she wasn't the oldest person in the world right now. Which after looking around the room with the other test takers, Katie had to say was an accomplishment.  
  
The others, were practically children. Probably just out from Hogwarts. It made Katie feel incredibly stupid for not taking the test with the rest of her age group.   
For not trying to be normal.

------------  
You're late  
  
Well of course I am, I can't apparate like the rest of the world.  
  
Sorry, I had problems getting a train  
  
You're number two hundred and seven, go straight into room seven, you're tester is Maurice DuPount  
  
She thrust a plastic number into Katie's palm, and stared at her crossly, until she had shut the door of room seven behind her.  
  
Miss Bell?  
  
Katie jumped at the voice. Did I frighten you?   
  
An olive colored hand was now thrust at her. My name is Maurice DuPount  
  
Katie replied but didn't take his hand.  
  
She didn't like him, for he had scared her with his stupid French accent and booming voice.  
  
Well, is the first time you are taking this test?  
  
Katie nodded. She didn't see why he was asking her this, the witch from the front desk had written all of it down on the sheet of parchment that he was holding his hands.  
  
Well let's get started, do you know where Surrey is?  
  
Katie nodded again.  
  
Well concentrate for me on getting there His departure was signaled by a loud bang.  
  
Katie immediately clamped her eyes shut. Okay Katie just concentrate. You won't loose your head. You won't loose your head.

------------  
She felt dizzy and then heavy. The sensations stopped quickly enough and she peeked through one open eye to find herself looking at Maurice.  
  
Did I make it?  
  
  
  
Do I still have my head?  
  
Yes but a hand is gone  
  
Are you serious  
  
His laughter answered her. She really didn't like him. He obviously didn't understand her fear of loosing body parts.  
  
There you are He wrote something on a piece of parchment and tapped it with his wand. It disappeared.  
  
You can now legally disapparate and apparate as you please  
  
That's it?  
  
That's it  
  
Well that hadn't been that hard, it just went to show that she could be good if she put her mind to something.  
  
  
  
  
  
I was wondering if you would like to go out with me, sometime  
  
I don't understand  
  
Would you go to dinner with me tomorrow  
  
Hell no.  
  
I'm sorry I think I'm busy, maybe some other time  
  
Am I coming on too strong?  
  
This one was a genius. Since when was a simple I'm busy' not good enough anymore?  
  
No it's not that, it's just that  
  
You have a boyfriend?  
  
No, but  
  
A child  
  
  
  
Well then what?  
  
I'm busy  
  
Great Katie, that was really convincing.  
  
You know you have really beautiful eyes  
  
  
  
Your eyes, they are gorgeous  
  
This guy was something else. Her eyes. Now she knew he was lying. He might as well have said your hair is like golden silk strands or something along those lines.  
  
Thank you but  
  
It's just one date  
  
she sighed, knowing that he wouldn't soon go away.  
  
his tanned face split into a smile. Tomorrow night at nine then, meet me here  
  
she knew her force lack the enthusiasm required to make it sound convincing, but Maurice obviously didn't notice so why should she worry?  
  
He was gone a second later.  
  
Okay, concentrate Katie, home, home.  
  
It wasn't much longer after that when Katie decided to take the train instead.  
  
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Thank you again for your support. I am almost done the final chapter. Also I filled in Oliver's thoughts in the second part, in case you didn't notice. Thank you again.  
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Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters.


	4. Chapter 4

**Intense**

By Seniya

Besides the annual drinks at Christmas and on Birthdays, Katie had never indulged in alcohol. She had never favored the taste.   
  
But tonight, she found that the obnoxious flavor of the beverage hadn't bothered her in the least. In fact, she had stopped recognizing what she was swallowing at around her fifteenth glass.  
  
And now as Katie stared at the man in front of her from over the multitude of empty bottles that littered their table, she decided that she was having a good time.  
  
And wondered exactly why it was that she had never gotten herself drunk before in the first place. The lighthearted feeling you got when intoxicated was absolutely amazing.   
  
Who cared about Rose? Reality itself seemed so unimportant.   
  
The man, her date, she vaguely remembered him as, was saying something, she couldn't make out what it was. She didn't care.  
  
Her head suddenly felt heavy and so did her body. She was falling, going…somewhere. This somewhere was much harder than the place she last was. And it was colder as well.  
  
The urge to sleep overwhelmed her. She hadn't had much sleep last night. She didn't remember why though, probably because of work, or Oliver, or both.  
  
She was floating now, higher, being taken from her cold, hard place. She wished she could go back there, where she was now wasn't as comfortable.  
  
The man was moaning again, this time from behind her, telling her something, she managed to make out "too much" and "home". These words made no sense to her.  
  
She saw him point something at her, he moaned again. Was this the too much home from before?  
  
----------  
"You get drunk pretty easily don't you?"  
  
She knew that voice belonged to Maurice, though she couldn't see him, or tell where she was. She did however know that she wasn't where she had been the last time that she remembered that had been in an old fashioned restaurant seated at an old wooden table with him, her date.   
  
"Where are we?"  
  
"Outside"  
  
Katie realized that her glasses were gone.  
  
"Where are my…"  
  
"You threw them away"  
  
"Right"  
  
He had obviously used a sobering spell on her. She knew that because she too, had on many occasions administered them to various people during her schooling at Hogwarts.  
  
It wasn't a very good one though, seeing as she still felt tipsy.  
  
"It's very pretty tonight" She heard the church bells toll from the street behind her. She wondered, dreamily, exactly why a church was so near to a bar.  
  
"Yes it is"  
  
She couldn't really tell if it was pretty or not, not being able to see past her hands and all, but it had been a pretty night when she'd left home, though she had been too enraged that she had been forced into going on this date in the first place to notice.  
  
"It's a good night for flying"  
  
"Flying?"  
  
"On a broom, tonight's a good night for flying"  
  
"Why would you want to fly in the night?"  
  
"You could play Quidditch"   
  
He joined her on where ever it was that she was sitting on.  
  
"You like Quidditch?"  
  
"Sometimes"  
  
Katie knew that it wasn't the poor man's intent to get her started.  
  
When talk turned to Quidditch she knew that she could manage to go on yammering for quite sometime. It was a characteristic she suspected that she had picked up from talking to Oliver so much.  
  
The fault wasn't as dreadful now as it had been years ago when Quidditch had been the only thing he seemed to be familiar with. A time when she would just spend her days, eyes glazed over, mouth hanging open staring at him, wondering how exactly God had crafted such a perfect mouth on a man.  
  
But tonight wasn't about Oliver. Tonight was about Maurice, and she would sit here and bore him to death just like she always did to her dates.  
  
"See I'm really bad at Quidditch"  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yes, laughing stock at my school"  
  
"I'll bet"  
  
"Are you any good?"  
  
"When I'm not falling off the broom"  
  
"Well, then, you'll have to teach me sometime"  
  
"I suppose I might"  
  
----------  
  
"When I was little, my mum used to read me this story about this girl who flew around the world on her broom, I loved that story"  
  
And the night had been going so nicely. Why had she chosen to go ruin it now, with embarrassing childhood tales?  
  
This was why she was dateless at twenty-three. Because the moment she and her date were having fun, she would go ruin it with stupid stories that were supposed to be reserved for when you brought the boy home to meet grand mum  
  
So you could imagine her surprise when, she didn't hear him hit the cobblestone road laughing.  
  
"I always told myself I'd do that, fly around the world, sorry to say, it's not exactly safe or possible"  
  
"You're serious"  
  
"Sure"  
  
"Well then why not?"  
  
"Seeing as I would probably be numb by Egypt, I don't see why I would try"  
  
"You don't have to fly, you go just go"  
  
"I know, but…"  
  
"But what's stopping you?"  
  
"I don't know"  
  
She really couldn't believe that she was sitting God knew where, with this man, having this conversation.  
  
"Well then do it"  
  
"Do what?"  
  
"Come away with me" he whispered in a way that Katie knew was meant to come across as seductive.  
  
"What, like right now?"  
  
"Yes right now"  
  
"I can't"  
  
This was becoming ridiculous.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Do you need a reason, let's see, I just met you, I have work tomorrow, this whole notion is crazy and…"  
  
"Him?"  
  
"No, Oliver has nothing to do with my decision"  
  
"Who's Oliver?"  
  
"What"  
  
"Oliver, the man that this has nothing to do with"  
  
"Him, he's nothing, forget I said it"  
  
"He must be something for you to think of him as soon as I said…"  
  
"Can we just forget this please?"  
  
"No, because I don't see why you won't come with me"  
  
Katie found herself laughing besides her initial reaction to leave this situation.  
  
"Because I don't want to"  
  
"I need a reason"  
  
"That was my reason"  
  
"Listen, Katie, why miss this opportunity, you could die tomorrow, and you would have never seen the world, why take that chance?"  
  
"You could be some escaped lunatic from Azkaban and kill me in my sleep"  
  
"I could be"  
  
"So…" he forced.  
  
"So…"  
  
"Will you come with me?"  
  
Katie looked at his face, a blurred mixture of browns and reds, inside her mind was racing, every sensible nerve in her body told her to tell the guy to shove it, but somewhere deep inside her, she knew what her answer to his question would be.  
  
"Okay"  
----------  
  
----------  
Her heels tapped steadily as she walked on the impressive marble floor. The sound of her movement echoed in the enclosure, becoming more magnified as she drew nearer to her goal.  
  
She had taken great care in preparing her attire for the occasion. She wanted tonight to be perfect after all. She wore a salacious nightdress accessorized with silver heels and the necklace he had given for their first month anniversary. And of course she had doused herself with her favorite scent, a particularly overwhelming perfume called Virtue.   
  
Yes, she was ready, and tonight would be the night.  
  
----------  
She paused for a moment to survey her prize. He was standing outside on the terrace, his masculine features highlighted by the moonlight.   
  
She licked her full lips in anticipation.   
  
He was gorgeous. He was perfect.  
  
And tonight he would be hers. Finally.  
  
Rejecting the urge to stay inside, Rose stepped onto the balcony, allowing the wind to tousle her fiery red hair.  
  
She stepped behind him, enclosing his muscular frame with her long arms, taking in his spicy aroma.  
  
----------  
She hated the way that his body stiffened when she held him, and it angered her when he removed himself from her embrace.  
  
He was always so difficult.  
  
She followed him inside, and closed the terrace doors behind them. Inadvertently plunging the room into darkness.  
  
"Oliver" she said finally, after he had refused to speak. "I had hoped that we could be together tonight"  
  
"You know how I feel about this Rose"  
  
Yes, she knew. But it didn't make it any easier to understand. She was a woman and she had needs. Needs that he refused to satisfy.  
  
Rose didn't answer. Instead she walked over to the mahogany coffee table and poured herself a drink. God she missed FireWhiskey.  
  
"You're very quiet tonight"  
  
"I'm just thinking"  
  
"About the wedding?"  
  
"And some other things"  
  
She didn't continue the conversation. She didn't see the point.  
  
Her eyes wandered around the room, pausing at the spot over the fireplace, where his photographs decorated the shelf.  
  
There stood, of course the expected pictures that you find in someone's office. Pictures of Oliver as a child, Oliver as a teenager, Oliver holding, what she supposed was his first broomstick.  
  
The little black and white Olivers in the frames smiled and waved at her. Cute. But they weren't what bothered her. No, what bothered her was that in every photograph hugging and smiling with him was a black and white girl with rebellious blonde hair.  
  
It was a sight that made Rose sick to her stomach.   
  
"You came home late Monday night" she found herself saying.  
  
"Did I?"  
  
"Very"  
  
"I walked Kate home that night, didn't I?"  
  
"Yes"  
  
If it were a subconscious reaction or not, Rose's grip tightened around the glass that she was holding. She put it back on the table, it was very delicate glass and she didn't want anything to happen to it.  
  
It was now taking every ounce of self-control that she possessed to keep her simile on her face and her voice sounding at least relatively calm.   
  
"Did you two have fun?"  
  
"I suppose so"  
  
"What did you do?"  
  
"What do you mean, I walked her home"  
  
"You came back here at three in the morning Oliver, are you telling me that that's all you did?"  
  
Oliver still hadn't turned around to face her. She didn't mind. That had started having most of their conversations in this manner recently anyways.  
  
"I walked around a bit afterwards"  
  
"By yourself?"  
  
He didn't answer immediately. He took his time and walked over to where she stood before he responded.  
  
"Where are you going with this?"  
  
It was then, that for a second, for a brief moment in time, that Rose finally let her real self emerge from where she always kept it hidden, somewhere deep beneath the layers of makeup and hairspray.  
  
"Where do you think Oliver, honestly do you take me for a fool- I know what's going on!"  
  
"I don't understand…"  
  
"Do you love her?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"You heard me"  
  
"She's my best friend of course I care about her"  
  
Rose could feel it. A disgusting emotion was forming in the pit of her stomach. It wasn't anger nor was it sadness.   
  
No, it was jealously.   
  
Yes, she was jealous. Because it was at that moment that Rose realized that she could never take her place in his eyes. And she didn't like it.  
  
"How much do you care?"  
  
"This is unbelievable"  
  
He returned to his previous spot, with his hands in the pockets of his pants, trying to ignore the rush of feelings in his chest.  
----------  
"Honestly Oliver," Normal Rose had returned now, complete with smile. "At first I thought that it was mad too, but now…the wedding is on Sunday and I just need to know"  
  
She knew that she could play the act of innocent girlfriend to a tee. She knew that soon Oliver would forget her little outburst, and as long as she kept this facade up, she would be married on Sunday, and that was what she really wanted.  
  
"Rose I love you, I'm marrying you, I thought that that was enough"  
  
He hadn't looked at her when he'd said it and that wasn't something that Rose had overlooked. She supposed it really didn't matter now.   
  
The little problem was being taken care of. But there was still that chance that he would fail and then…  
  
The clock outside struck midnight.  
  
"Fine then, I don't want her at my wedding"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Kathleen, Oliver, I don't want her there" She made certain that she was smiling when she spoke, in case he looked around when she was talking.  
  
"You're overreacting a bit, don't you think"  
  
"Overreacting Oliver, no I don't think so, you love her, I know you do, and if you think for a second that I am going to stand idly by and let myself become embarrassed by this then you are sadly mistaken"  
  
Her voice was eerily calm as she spoke. She had said this last sentence in a way that you would expect a neighbor to sound when they invited another neighbor to tea, not how you would expect someone to sound when issuing a threat.  
  
The clock in the hallway chimed twelve. Perhaps the one outside was too fast, or maybe that one was too slow, it didn't seem to matter in any case.  
  
----------  
Rose had never been good at reading emotions through eyes, it wasn't a talent that she needed. Where she worked people told you what you wanted to hear and that was it. No hidden meanings.  
  
But at moment when Oliver looked at her with some unspoken emotion in his eyes, she wished it had been a trait that she had learnt.  
  
He stared at her for a while and she stared back. They stared at each other until without warning he disapparated, leaving her alone in the dark office, staring at the oak walls.  
  
She knew that he had probably gone to her. Which, strangely enough only gave her a feeling of satisfaction in her stomach.  
  
Rose picked up the same glass from before and admired it's detailing for a while. Then, surprising even herself, she flung it against the wall.  
  
----------  
  
----------  
Her heart was pounding against her chest in such a way that Katie felt sure that it was trying to liberate itself from her body.  
  
Was she really doing this? Running away with a man that she had only known for less than a day?  
  
This was unbelievably out of character for her.   
  
She supposed it was one of those unintelligent, impulsive decisions that you're supposed to make and then regret when you're a teenager. But she hadn't made those decisions as a teenager, and she couldn't understand why she was doing it now.  
  
Maybe it was the alcohol.  
  
----------  
  
She was barely aware of her actions as she stumbled along the hallway and opened the door to (what she hoped was) her apartment.  
  
And even less aware of herself as she blindly weaved a path to her bedroom through the chaos that was her home.  
  
She had never thought that there would actually come a time when she would actually miss her glasses, but behold, this was that moment.  
  
Something that she had touched crashed.  
  
Crap.  
  
She hoped that it wasn't that ceramic jug that her mother had given her for Christmas. But then again Katie could think of worse things that could break.  
  
"Hey"  
  
A voice deterred her train of thought. It was Oliver. Truly the last person she needed to hear from at this moment.  
  
"Hey" she responded, resisting the strong urge to run from the room.  
  
All around them fell into a painful silence.  
  
Strangely enough the discomfort of the moment hadn't been there seconds before when the two had been unaware of the other's presence.  
  
"So how long have you been here?"  
  
Katie felt compelled to thwart any plans that discomfort had of settling in the atmosphere.  
  
"Awhile"  
  
"Do you want to borrow something?"  
  
"No"  
  
"Then why are you here?"  
  
"I needed to think"  
  
"Don't try too hard"  
  
The silence from before was gradually returning.  
  
"Think about what?"  
  
"Things"  
  
The moon could be seen clearly outside, a sole orb of light in an otherwise gloomy sky. A ray of it's unspoiled light had made it's way through the largest window of the apartment, illuminating a spot on the darkened carpet where it had fallen.  
  
"You're being very lucid tonight Wood"  
  
Katie's foot pained her as she collided with yet another piece of furniture. Following what had to be instinct Katie managed to seat herself in the chair facing Oliver's.  
  
She remained there staring at the blurry ball that was the moon, though she couldn't actually see it.  
  
"I don't like it when you're like this"  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"Like this" Katie pressed. "So serious"  
  
She felt Oliver's gaze on her face and forced her eyes downwards.  
  
"Where are your glasses?"  
  
"Lost them"  
  
Somewhere outside an owl called.  
  
"I thought you might do this"  
  
"Do what?"  
  
"Do this, pretend that nothing happened"  
  
Katie didn't need to ask her companion to what he was referring to. She knew.  
  
"Nothing happened"  
  
She had told Oliver the truth. Well at least what she had convinced herself that the truth was.  
  
"Is that why you're here, to talk about that?"  
  
"No, it's not"  
  
"Then why?"  
  
"I don't know"  
  
"No, of course you don't"  
  
Katie was fast becoming annoyed with Oliver's brooding mood. She was the depressed, thoughtful one, and he was the one who was always cheering her up. When had the roles been reversed?  
  
"Katie, I need to ask you something"  
  
"What?"  
  
She could feel that his gaze had been lifted from her. Perhaps he was now staring at the moon.  
  
"Do you…never mind…"  
  
She heard his chair grate against the floor. He was leaving.  
  
"Oliver, wait, what were you going to ask me?"  
  
She prayed that those last few words hadn't sounded as desperate to him as they had her.  
  
She heard him sigh, and the chair groaned again.  
  
"Do you, have feelings for me?" He pronounced each syllable carefully, as if he was afraid that they could break.  
  
Heat immediately rose to Katie's face, she was thankful, at least, that the room was so dark.  
  
"What kind of feelings?" her voice came out much higher than she had predicted.  
  
"Feelings Kate"  
  
A new, unfamiliar voice was screaming in her mind. She knew it, informally, as Hope.  
  
Do it! Say yes!  
  
"Kate I'm sorry, if you don't want to answer you don't have to…"  
  
"No"  
  
She heard the word echoing in the night long before she realized that it was her who had said it.  
  
A new feeling entered the space, it was relief tinged with an air of disappointment. For Katie the disappointment was in herself.  
  
"Why did you ask me that?"  
  
"I just needed to know"   
  
"Why?"  
  
"I needed to figure out-something"  
  
The familiar reverberation and Katie knew that Oliver had gone.  
  
On the carpet nearby her, the shadows devoured the last of the light as the moon disappeared.  
  
----------

----------  
  
I raised the rating of the story to Pg-13 because of the hints to situations in this chapter. If you didn't see any situations then, don't bother yourself. Thank you all for the reviews, I am very happy that you all like my story.  
  
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I don't own Harry Potter or any of the characters.  
  
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	5. Chapter 5

**Intense**

By Seniya

Thick skulled.  
  
That would have been what her mother would have called her, followed, naturally with the obscenities that followed nearly everything her mother said. How could she have been so stupid?  
  
She supposed that Oliver had been gone for hours now, seeing as the sun was preparing to begin its daily journey across the sky. But still Katie hadn't found the motivation to leave the room where they had conversed a while before.  
  
She was such an idiot. Why had she told him no?  
  
Everything would have been so simple, all she would have had to do was just to have told him the truth, and then, well since this was her fantasy, they would run off somewhere (preferably somewhere owl free) and live happily ever after.  
  
It would have been perfect.  
  
But of course, perfect didn't exist for Katie, though stupidity reigned supreme. And that was why, she would end up being a spinster, living in a haunted old house, and the only company she would ever have would be the occasional child who had been dared by his friends to disturb her.  
  
----------  
  
But would things really have been that different if she had told him the truth? She doubted it.  
  
Oliver was still Oliver and this could have been another one of his elaborate pranks, created for the sole purpose of annoying her to no end, foiled of course when she had hesitated in answering his question.  
  
And if she had answered yes he would, of course, been unreservedly shocked, stuttered something incoherent, and then told her in a supportive voice, with pity marked clearly all over his face, that it was very nice.  
  
She would never be able to look at him again and her spinster prophecy would become a reality much sooner.  
  
Or, maybe, maybe, it could have been that he too cared for her in more than a friendly manner, and had just been wondering if she felt the same way. God knows that she, herself had spent many a night wondering the same thing, only she had never had enough courage to actually seek out an answer.  
  
She doubted it was the latter possibility.  
  
----------  
  
Though Oliver had been acting strangely as of late. First the now sacred to her heart moment out side her door, and then this.  
  
Maybe it was because he finally realized that he was getting married to the most exasperating human in the world, yes that was a plausible explanation. Wedding jitters.  
  
----------  
  
Yet another reason that Oliver couldn't ever be in love with her. He was marrying Rose, he loved **her**, they were destined to be together and have unusually beautiful children together.  
  
It was official. She had lost this game. Rose had won.  
  
And she would just have to accept that.  
  
And if she had answered yes, well then he would have just married her knowing that his stupid friend had spent all her life in love with him.  
  
_Oliver loves Rose_. She repeated again, trying her hardest to fight the feeling to throw her body onto the floor and sob until noon.  
  
_Not you._  
  
She would just have to suck it up.  
  
At least one of them deserved to be happy.  
  
----------  
  
The room smelt strongly of her. Strange as that sounded it did. She had such as strong fragrance, one of vanilla mixed with lavender, it was artificial, he knew, but her scent was one of his favorite things about her, forged as it was.  
  
"You're late"  
  
She was standing in he middle of the room, hair disheveled, make up ruined. She had been pacing, he had heard her footsteps as he walked up the hallway.  
  
"I'm sorry, I came as soon as I could"  
  
He walked over to her, his eyes never once leaving her face. Unbelievably she still looked gorgeous, even though he knew she shouldn't.  
  
"I doesn't matter now, you told me she didn't leave with you?"  
  
"No, afraid not"  
  
"Why not?"  
  
The panic in her voice had suddenly become more pronounced.  
  
"She said she would, went home to pack and never came back"  
  
"This is bad"  
  
"Is it?"  
  
He was being sarcastic now, of course he knew how bad it was, he also knew that, she, being she would remind him, as though he didn't for the millionth time.  
  
"Are you insane, of course it's bad, the wedding is on Sunday, Oliver won't marry me if she's there"  
  
Maurice felt the custom pang in his stomach. Oliver. Though he'd never met the man, he hated him more than he could describe. This was the man who would be marrying Rose, his Rose. When he obviously didn't deserve the privilege.  
  
That was of course that everything went according to her plan.  
  
"I know when you're wedding is"  
  
He had removed his gaze from her face it was, honestly, one of the hardest things he had ever willed himself to do.  
  
----------  
  
"Maurice…"  
  
"Is she really that big of a threat?"  
  
"Maybe now, more than before, we had a fight last night, and he hasn't come home since"  
  
"You think that he's with her?"  
  
"Maybe"  
  
This was illogical. If he truly was with this girl then this Oliver was an imperceptive jackass who didn't deserve to be with the marvelous woman who stood before him anyways.  
  
"Rose, you mustn't worry, I'll try again"  
  
"No, never mind, I've got a new idea"  
  
Yet another feature he treasured about her, her assertiveness.  
  
He found it very…arousing.  
  
----------  
  
"We, well I could…" She had resumed her pacing, his eyes followed her every movement, much like the tiger stalking its prey.  
  
She finally ceased her uneasy movements and settled herself on a battered cot in the darkened corner of the cramped room.  
  
He watched her, as she twirled her red hair with her fingers, a habit of hers, he knew.  
  
"The only way is to break them up, separate them, somehow, though not like before, we could try to damage their relationship in a more emotional way"  
  
"How do you plan to do that?"  
  
"Damned if I know, they're practically joined at the hip"  
  
"I hope he's worth this trouble"  
  
"He is don't worry"  
  
----------  
  
For the first time since their meeting had begun, his eyes met hers, and the familiar jolt of electricity passed between them. He felt himself being drawn towards her, and soon he was closer to her than he had ever dreamed of being.  
  
Impulsively, he kissed her. She resisted him at first, like she always did, but soon she allowed his tongue to begin its intimate dance with hers. A shower of kisses followed, trailing downwards past her neck, lower and lower, towards his reward.  
  
Honestly, Oliver had no idea what he was missing out on.  
  
----------  
  
Certainly, she had been feeling poignant and gloomy this morning, even more so than she usually did. But to her, that was no excuse to accept an invitation out to lunch from Annie.  
  
Sadly, she had, and to her great dismay, now found herself, seated in an uncomfortable divan, staring at a blurry bowl of now ice cold tomato stew, half heartedly listening to Annie's criticism of everyone who walked by.  
  
"So Katie, what about you, anything interesting happen in your life?"  
  
"I had a date last night" Katie said, against her better judgment.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah"  
  
"What's his name" her hazy outline drew closer to Katie.  
  
"Maurice DuPount"  
  
"French?"  
  
"I think so"  
  
"DuPount?"  
  
"Yes, why?"  
  
"Nothing-it's just that I think I've heard that name somewhere, before…"  
  
Exactly where, Katie was never to know, for at the moment their conversation was interrupted by a third voice.  
  
"Kathleen"  
  
Katie groaned inwardly, but still managed to fake, what she hoped was a smile.  
  
"Do you know that you're a very hard woman to find?"  
  
Katie hadn't been able to see a great deal since she had allegedly discarded her glasses, but even through the distorted images around her, she could clearly make out Rose. She was wearing a vivid yellow dress, one that seemed to stop mid-thigh, and even if she could seen her, she would have smelt her, and that overwhelming perfume that she always wore.  
  
----------  
  
"I had to go to that place you work, they told me that you were here"  
  
"Oh, sorry"  
  
She didn't know what else to say.  
  
"Never mind dear, it's not your fault"  
  
"Annie Cho" Annie thrust her hand across Katie's face.  
  
"Oh, yes I'm very familiar with your work"  
  
Honestly, what had she done to deserve this, the both of them, at once?  
  
"I'll take that as a compliment"  
  
The two laughed, an empty, dry sound.  
  
"Anyways, Kathleen I'm here about the wedding"  
  
"Oh"  
  
"Yes, well I'm afraid to say that you've been, uninvited"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Yes, Oliver and I think that it would be best if you were not to come"  
  
"You do?"  
  
"Yes, and he also asks that you don't talk to him until after Sunday"  
  
"He does?"  
  
"Now, don't worry dear, it isn't your fault, Miss Cho, it was a pleasure"  
  
Her heels echoed off into the distance as she walked away.  
  
----------  
  
"So I suppose this means that you don't know where their Honeymoon is?"  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"Their honeymoon, do you know, now I heard Barbados, but someone else said Switzerland and I was just wondering…"  
  
Her voice trailed off into a stream of nothingness as Katie immersed herself in her own thoughts. Uninvited?  
  
Now she had never wanted to go to the wedding in the first place, and she had never cared about being a bridesmaid, if fact she had been seriously considering neglecting the entire thing. Not out of malice, it was just that watching the love of your life pledge his commitment to another wasn't something she wanted to see.  
  
But _Oliver_ said that.  
  
That couldn't be right. Could it?  
  
In the years that she had known him he would have never done anything like this, not to her. And if he didn't want her to go to his wedding, well then he would have told her, to her face, he wouldn't have sent his fiancée to do it for him.  
  
But then again…  
  
Was this what he needed to figure out. Had he realized that she liked him, like him?  
  
That was it, wasn't it, he had figured it out and now he didn't want her there because of the discomfort her presence would cause.  
  
Well, then fine, that was fine by her. She didn't care, why should she?  
  
"So Katie, do you know"  
  
"Sure, Switzerland"  
  
"You're telling me?"  
  
"Yeah, and could you make sure you get some really good pictures for me, I'll want to see this"  
  
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I don't own Harry Potter or any of the characters.  
  
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Another chapter finished. Hurray! Two more left. Thanks for all the support, and again, your comments are appreciated.


	6. Chapter 6

**Intense**

By Seniya

People are nuisances. Or maybe it was just the people that she knew. Although she really didn't deem it fair to conclude that the entire population consisted of prats just because she had, had the unfortunate experience of meeting a good few thousand of those who were.

But the public didn't seem to be doing a very ample job of trying to convince her that she resided in a prat-free world.

No, in fact as Annie stared at her maliciously over her cup of hot peppermint tea, with an expression that made her look as though God himself had blessed her and only her, with all the answers to the universe's questions, Katie felt quite certain that the lot of them wanted her to know that they were incredibly proud of their idiocy.

Annie walked over, slowly and ominously, something that Katie saw quite clearly for the first time in days as she had finally gone to the optician this morning and gotten herself a new pair of glasses, this time with red frames.

"Hello" the raven hair woman cooed.

Katie returned the greeting without looking at her. She felt at least she should be polite.

"Tea?"

"I hate tea"

"Of course"

Annie took the forever vacant seat that faced Katie's desk and began to toy with the cup in her hand. It was a particularly maddening ploy that she had when she required someone to ask her a question.

"What's wrong?"

"You're going to love me," she blurted out at once.

_I doubt that._

"Why?"

"Imagine what I found out about your boyfriend"

"What boyfriend?"

"Maurice…"

"He's not my boyfriend"  
"Whatever, well I found out where I had heard his name from"

She paused and took a prolonged sip of tea, an act that Katie recognized as an attempt to add suspense to her story.

"Where?"

"Well, turns out that last year before Rose Ramsey and Oliver Wood got engaged the two of them used to date"

"Really?"

"Yes, it was before the whole disaster when her company went broke"

"Her company went broke?"

"Oh for God's sake Katie where do you live?"

"Well, I'm sorry that investigating her life isn't a favorite past time of mine"

"You know what this means don't you?"

Annie seemed undeterred by Katie's last comment.

"No, what?"

"Well, now I hate to gossip, but when the news of the engagement came out a lot of my sources were a bit…puzzled by the whole thing I mean it was so…sudden after all, and well now her former lover develops an interest in you, I mean come on Katie it's not like you are a regular on the social scene"

"Thank you for putting it so nicely"

"Sorry, you're very pretty, better now?"

"Not really"

"But honestly, you don't find it suspicious?"

"No, I don't" she lied, she had passed it off as low self esteem before, but she had always wondered what such an obviously handsome man like Maurice would see in her, a tool tall, too thin blonde girl who spent most of her days brooding and falling down.

"Oliver and Rose love each other" she continued "That's why they're getting married"

Annie's response came in taking another protracted sip of the steaming beverage she held in her hand.

Katie, for her part couldn't believe that she was defending the demon woman herself.

"And I'm sure that whatever it is that you have convinced yourself to be suspicious is just the end result of reading too many of your own stories…and I thought you loved Rose why the change of heart?"

"Love, no dear I don't do love, she's famous and what can I say, I'm a bit of a addict"

She left, her heels sounding against the floor all the way. As much as Katie hated to declare it, the events of the past few days had been a bit out of the ordinary. She needed some clarification, she needed to go to the source, yes she would go see Oliver tonight, before his bachelor party, she was certain at least, that whatever had possessed him into saying that he didn't want to see until tomorrow night had long passed.

Brushing a few stray curls from her forehead, Katie resumed writing, she had been doing this article about sea monsters for days now.

* * *

The reflection of the sun danced upon the surface of the lake, taunting all those who chose to watch it. It was alone. The sun never shared its skies. But it, unlike the pitiful creatures that it casts its flawless beams upon was proud of its solitude. The sun craved no companionship, the sun, was everything that man wished he could be. Even if man refused to share these thoughts with anyone. The sun didn't crave hugs and kisses, waste endless hours on hellos and goodbyes. No, the sun was strong. It erased the need for affection with its potency and vanity. Yes, the sun was a constant reminder of what man could never be.

* * *

The park was teeming with children. They darted about, filling the air with their jovial screams as they played, enjoying the short moments when they were allowed such freedom. Behind them, from their inconspicuous posts on benches and behind trees, stood their mothers, who, every few minutes would tear their gazes from the pages of a romance novel long enough to make sure that their most prized possession remained unharmed.

In the mist of this fuss stood Oliver. His hair was tangled after having run his fingers through the strands in frustration so many times and he had crammed his hands in the pockets of his jeans, a nervous habit of his. He stood there, inactive, shifting his weight from one foot to the other and then back again, not noticing the children or their mothers or the sun that shone above them all.

He was trapped in his own mind, a mind that was heavy with his thoughts. To say that he was confused would be inaccurate.

When one was confused that usually meant that one knew what the basis of their uncertainty was.

And Oliver didn't.

He knew, somewhere in the back of his psyche that he should be happy. He was to be married tomorrow. To a woman that was beautiful, smart and funny, every man's dream. But though his brain recognized what he was supposed to be feeling his heart refused to comply.

Perhaps he was scared. Perhaps. Perhaps fear was the explanation on why he had spent the entire day yesterday, and most of this morning wandering around town, searching for nothing, but unwilling to go back home. Perhaps.

He couldn't explain his behavior to anyone. He didn't understand it himself. What he felt and what he wanted to feel were two different things. And he hated himself for what he felt.

Yes, Oliver decided, he _was_ afraid, he was afraid of facing those thoughts in his head. He was afraid of facing those feelings that lay hidden in his heart. And he was afraid of being in contact with anyone who would remind him of these fears. That was why he hadn't gone home.

_What was wrong with him?_

Though he wasn't an expert in the area of marriage, he knew that one shouldn't be having so many doubts beforehand. He was getting married to the woman he loved. There was no reason for him to be anxious.

He did love her. Didn't he?

What _was _love?

Was it the feeling of indescribable relief that rushed through your body after you found that your father had returned home from work safely? Or could it be defined as the excitement of having the person you secretly fancied smile at you from across a crowded room. Or maybe it was the feeling of safety you acquired knowing that no matter what, there would always be someone who cherished you.

He had thought that he loved Rose.

That was why he had asked for her hand in marriage, because he had never felt that strongly about anyone before. But now, just hours before their ceremony was to begin he found himself questioning his judgment. And he refused to believe why.

_Her._

_Katie._

If someone had approached him a month ago and told him that he would be entertaining such thoughts about her he would have laughed. He would have explained to them how obtuse such an idea was. And then he would have walked away.

But right now, when he tried to laugh, when he tried to explain, when he tried to walk away, he found to his great dismay that he couldn't.

And that distressed him even further.

This was incredulous.

He wasn't meant to feel this way. Not about her. She was his friend. That was all. She was the girl who had followed him halfway around Greenock when he had decided that it would be a good idea to run away. She was the girl that had spent countless Friday nights tucked away next to him in his bed until she was twelve and decided that the entire concept was disgusting.

And she was Katie. That was it.

And the entire notion hat he felt something more for her than what one would feel for a sister was impious.

He couldn't, he shouldn't and he didn't.

Though Rose thought he did. And now a part of him thought that way as well. And as much as it pained him to say it that part of him had been growing larger daily.

An overpowering feeling of guilt washed over him.

He suspected that he had known the truth long before he had decided to have this little chat with himself.

He knew that he couldn't marry Rose. Not like this. Not when his head was overflowing with the possibility of being with another woman.

The rush of emotions that he had felt for Rose in the beginning, were gone now. It was no use pretending anymore. The feeling of warmth that had once surrounded them had disappeared, and it had been replaced by an empty space, filled only, occasionally by awkwardness.

He couldn't marry her. It wasn't fair.

Sighing, he decided he should leave, go home and face the fears that he had been trying to get away from. He should have known better than to try, someone had once said to him, in a drunken whisper that you could never run from yourself.

What he needed now, was to take a shower, go to sleep and continue to reflect on the possibility that maybe, in some uncanny twist of fate that he was doing just as he dreaded, and was falling for his best friend.

* * *

School starts on Thursday and hopefully I can write the last chapter, the next chapter by then, so expect it by weekend. Thank you again for all the nice comments, more are always appreciated.

* * *

I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters. 


	7. Chapter 7

**Intense**

By Seniya

It was a powerful sight, to see the crucifix outlined by the rays of the retreating sun, one that should have forced all those who witnessed the vision to stop in their tracks and stare at it, in a mixture of wonder and amazement.

But the miniature people who hurried along below thought nothing about the hidden splendor that was above them. They were much too engrossed in their own lives their own problems to even offer a stray glance to the wooden adornment that overlooked them all.

The cross, from where he existed, could only pity the humans, who strolled along agitatedly beneath him refusing to concentrate on anything but their own chaotic worlds, but he knew, from his own acquired wisdom, that if they allowed themselves to escape from the commotion that rampaged in their own minds, they would be surprised to find that a less frenzied world endured around them.

* * *

Streaks of sunlight were still trying to cling to the last remaining moments of the afternoon when Oliver arrived at the chapel. He had returned home as he had promised himself, had his shower, and tried, without success, to take his nap.

He had remained there, in his house, restively, for what he supposed had been hours, waiting for the dancing swirls of thoughts in his mind to transform themselves into some sort of solution.

They had refused to comply and of course, that was the reason he had come here, to the church, not seeking redemption or solace, but in search of the woman who was expecting to wed him in this very place come tomorrow.

Inside the church had a ghastly sort of loveliness to it. Light filtered through the stained windows, illuminating patches on the carpeted floor. It smelt strongly of incense sprinkled with the musky odor of a place that had been shut up for a long period of time.

Rose had insisted that they have their wedding in a church. Though Oliver would have preferred that it had been outside, she had persisted, and he had given in. It hadn't seemed like such a major concern at the time but now he felt that it was colossal.

* * *

His mind felt disconnected from the rest of him at this moment. He could feel himself walking; his feet were taking him somewhere that he was not certain of. The feeling of dread increased as he neared the secluded door that stood at the top of the old staircase that he hadn't realized he had climbed.

A thousand thoughts flowed through his mind as he knocked on the door.

A response did not come immediately, so he repeated the action. Following this time was a muffled scream, yelling for him to come in.

The room was undersized; an ornate mirror had been crammed into the space, along with several boxes containing unknown items. Contrasting the muddy gray color of the room, stood Rose. She was breathing heavily, and her cheeks were flushed, her red hair was tousled. She was wearing a heavily jeweled white gown, her wedding dress.

She was beautiful.

"Oliver" her voice was coated with surprise, "It is bad luck to see the bride before the wedding"

An unfamiliar sensation lodged itself in Oliver's chest. He couldn't name it; he had never felt this way before, though it felt like disappointment, like nostalgia, it even contained a bit of sadness.

It was how he had expected to feel in this situation, though the sensation was ten times more intense than he had ever predicted.

"We need to talk" he said, in a voice that he was sure wasn't his own.

Her smile disappeared, and she nodded, joining him on the narrow corridor outside.

She stared at him, and he looked away, his hands crept their way into his pockets.

"I don't think that I can – do this, Rose, we can't, I mean get married"

"Why not..." he didn't mistake the redundant alarm in her words.

"Because—I don't..."

He couldn't. How could anyone...how did anyone ever form these difficult sentences? How did you tell a woman that you weren't in love with her anymore—and that you didn't think that you ever were?

"I don't love you"

Though years of Quidditch had taught him something, and that was that if you needed to do something, then get it done quickly, before you lost momentum.

She didn't burst out into unstoppable tears, as he had suspected that she might; nor did she scream at him ancient hexes, as he felt he deserved.

Instead she continued to stare at him, with her tearless eyes, until he was sure that she hadn't quite heard what he had said.

He repeated himself, and she assured him, in an empty voice that she had understood him the previous instance.

She walked away after what he felt was an eternity, her footsteps faintly thudding on the aged floor.

It was then, that the shrieking began.

She called him everything, and more, in fact by the time her words had finished bounding off the limestone walls of the cathedral, Oliver was fairly sure that she had invented some new vocabulary just for this occasion.

When she seemed satisfied that she had verbally abused him enough, she faced him again. And asked him with a forced calm, what made him change his mind.

It was at that moment the he realized how crowded he felt. The walls were moving he was sure of it; they were coming closer, closing in.

"So was I right—you want to be with her, don't you?"

It wasn't a question. It was an accusation. One the he wasn't willing to respond to.

"I'll tell everyone that the wedding is cancelled"

"Oliver-I'm sure we can work this out..."

"I'm not...that's the problem"

"Oliver please, sweetheart, don't do this to me-think of the press"

"I just can't all right...I'm sorry"

And that was it. That was the conclusion to their relationship. The one that Witch Weekly had claimed would last forever.

* * *

Rose waited until she heard the familiar resonance that assured her that he had gone before she allowed herself to even reflect on what had just transpired.

She knew she should at least cry, to make the whole loving wife-to-be act at least appear more believable. But she didn't see the point anymore, this entire game was over, she had realized that weeks ago, she had only been maintaining the façade in the hope that Oliver would be too noble to forsake her at the altar.

She was disappointed however. She had work very hard to ensure that he had would be hers. Though her mother had once told her; where one road ended another begins.

Her feelings for Oliver, were possessive, to put it into words. She felt as though she owned him, as though she should. Now that he was no longer hers. Those feelings had disappeared.

She had always known that he would go to her. That was undoubtedly where he was headed as she spoke. It would have been before or after they had been together. It was always obvious.

She wondered if she should care. If she should try to ruin their budding romance before it could bloom. She had wasted all of eleven months with him, planning, waiting, and for what? For this...

Well, she did get a complimentary gown out of the entire thing... she supposed that was a benefit.

And besides, she was far too drained from her last week's scheming to sum up any plans of destruction for Oliver or his little friend right now. He had served his purpose. And she was done with him.

In any case it wasn't as if he was that significant, he could be replaced. In fact, didn't she hear that Duncan O'Brian had just gotten through a very malicious divorce?

She might just need to play the role of heartbroken entrepreneur for just a bit longer.

Her mind lingered on Maurice who was still probably concealed under layers of boxes in the makeshift changing room. She should tell him, he should know that this one was over. And then maybe after he'd calmed down; they could resume their fun.

* * *

So she hadn't gone to Oliver's house. Though she had intended to...at first. The intention had faded away as she neared the brownstone, when she had become so terrified of what lay inside if she dared to venture that far, that she had run away in the opposite direction until she felt she was safe from the humiliation that she would have undoubtedly inflicted upon herself.

She had bought herself a bottle of nail polish. It was the first time she had ever possessed anything of the sort, in fact on routine days she would scorn all those witches who sat at home and did nothing but choose the next color in which to paint their nails.

But today wasn't a normal day, no. Today was the day that she became a new woman. No more sulking over Oliver she had proclaimed to herself and the woman standing in front of her in the market, that there would be no more tears, no more wishing. Today she would move on with her life because tomorrow he was moving on with his.

And what better way to attest your new womanhood than to smear paint upon your nails?

There was none.

Yes, it was finally time that she matured. It was time for her to realize that her life wasn't a fairy tale, because in reality fairy tales...didn't subsist.

She had been deceiving herself into thinking that she and Oliver could ever have anything more than a very complicated friendship.

Her insides craved nothing more than to curl up in her pantry and devour everything that surrounded her, she knew that that was the old Katie wanting, the one that she had sworn to be rid of today.

So she paid her no heed.

She would be strong; she would get over him. And she would do it now.

Nothing could stop her, nothing. The only one that probably could was most likely miles away preparing for his wedding.

* * *

The hard part was supposed to be over. He had told Rose the truth and he had left her impassive form at the top of the staircase as he headed off to start a new life.

That was intended to be the problematical area.

_Intended._

The maddening feelings in his stomach were still there. If not, more pronounced than before. He had apparated at Katie's door, only to walk back downstairs, which led him to his house, and then ultimately back to hers.

A number of her neighbors had passed with inquiring looks on their faces, though none had bothered to comment on his crazed demeanor.

Though, he knew that he could probably expect to read in the tabloids tomorrow that he was going insane.

Sometime during the walk from her house to his, he had decided on a course of action. He was good at strategy, or so he had told himself in reassurance. Well, he was good at Quidditch tactics.

But, unfortunately for him, there was no actual link between women and Quidditch.

His plan however was a simple one. He would not, as he had first considered doing, barge into the space, shirtless of course, declaring to her his perpetual love, a love that he was not ever sure that he possessed.

No, instead he would be practical, he would go to her and they would discuss this like mature adults.

Yes, that was the plan, though less impressive than his usual electrifying ones, he was still certain that it was the best course of action.

* * *

Painting her nails had to have been the most horrible idea Katie had ever had. Years of biting and gnawing after her hands had apparently resulted in them being unable to be adorned with nail polish, or at least to look respectful afterwards.

Her path to womanhood, like everything else in her world, seemed littered with troubles.

And what logic did grooming contain? A person couldn't change their past by using a coat of paint.

She should have just eaten chocolate like she had wanted to; chances were that she would have been feeling a lot more contented if had. Chocolate didn't make you forget, but it did make you fell pretty damned good for a while.

So she would go to the store and get some chocolate, and maybe if she felt like it she would pass by the church where Oliver was... oh who was she fooling, she doubted she would even glance near there.

* * *

He had been standing outside the wooden door, hand poised, ready to begin pounding for what had to have been a good few minutes now.

Such a simple motion did not require such intense thought. But a thousand thoughts ricocheted in his mind. A thousand what ifs and maybes, and another thousand answers to each query.

Perhaps he should just owl her, writing was far more efficient that the stuttering that would undoubtedly occur if he tried to confront her here and now.

The weight on his hand lifted and finally he was able to convince his feet to depart from the area.

"Oliver?"

He had probably heard the screech of the door's hinges first and then his name, but nevertheless, it was the latter that name his feet recess their hasty departure.

The owner of the voice, to him was no mystery, and he answered her just as he had many times before.

She ignored his response, a human habit, one supposed, and instead asked him why he was here.

He could feel her presence as she approached him, it did not help to clear his mind.

_Damn it Oliver, you're acting like a bloody teenager._

Determined to prove his mother's exasperating voice wrong, Oliver spun around, and by sheer will alone forced himself to stare into Katie's eyes.

He prided himself on the fact that she looked away first.

An unpleasant hush surrounded them as they both labored for something to say.

"I just came to see if you were here"

"Why aren't you at the church..."

"We aren't getting married anymore..."

"Oh..."

He eyes flickered to his face for a moment, revealing to him something that he knew that he should have realized ages ago.

_Tell her now_

His mother's voice was screaming in his ears now, muttering nonsense about Quidditch tactics and grandchildren.

"Do...you want to go somewhere, to...eat or something?"

Oliver found that the sentence sounded far more idiotic in the open that it had in his head.

"All right"

Her answer was accompanied with a sigh and a smile. A special one we suppose, one that was she saved just for such an occasion.

It was a smile that Oliver had learnt to appreciate, and maybe someday learn to love.

**Fin**

* * *

Thank you, thank you, a million times over for all your unwavering support. This chapter took me forever to compose, through schoolwork and friends, but hell, it's here now. I'm not tremendously proud of this story; I found that it began to loose my flair around the third chapter, but regardless, I hope you all enjoyed it. I really did work hard on it. Thank you to all my reviewers, I did it for you.

About the ending, I tried to do a kiss scene or a whole confess my love for you scene, but I seemed so unrealistic...this works better for me, I'll leave it to you to decide on what happens next. I shall be writing another fable soon, you'll know when.

Thanks again!

* * *


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